Improvement in windmills



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Wind-Mills.

"N0.]55,'397, Patented Sept.29,l874.

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Wind-Mills. v I No.15 5,397. Patented Sept. 29,1874.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoE.

WILLIAM H. WHEELER, OE BELOIT, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDMILLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,397, datedSeptember 29, 1874; application filed September 24, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WHEELER, of Beloit, in the county of Rockand State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Windmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved windmill; Fig. 2, atop-plan view; and Fig. 3, a vertical section through the line 00 00,Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote thesame parts.

' In the construction of windmills it is usual to transmit the power ofthe wind-wheel to the machinery below by the employment of gearing, or acrank-shaft and pitman. These arrangements, however, are bothobjectionable, for the following reasons: First, the friction attendingthe use of the gearing is so great as to impede the force of the mill,while the irregular movements of the wind-wheel are liable to break outthe teeth of the gears; second, the leverage due to the arrangement ofthe gears eccentrically to the vertical center of the mill tends tothrow the wind-wheel out of the wind, and thereby decrease itsefficiency, and impart a variable motion to the machinery below; third,the employment of the crank-shaft and pitman imparts an irregular motionto the machinery, owing to the deadpoints of the crank, while thelateral vibration of the pitman creates too much friction of the partsthrough which it operates.

My invention is designed to avoid these objections, for the purpose ofincreasing the efficiency of the mill, and decreasing its cost ofconstruction. To this end the invention consists, first, in transmittingthe power of the wind-wheel to the machinery below by a wire rope orother suitable band, guided by a series of grooved pulleys, arranged,with relation to each other, so that the pulleys shall guide the ropedown through the center of the mill in vertical lines nearly touchingeach other, to prevent binding should the rope become twisted, and sothat the friction of the wheel-shaft in its bearings shall be reduced bythe lifting action of the rope in its passage over the pulleys secondly,in the provision of means for preventing the wire rope from being undulytightened should it become twisted by the rotation of the mill-head, andfor taking out the twist; thirdly, in the provision of means foroperating the vane or rudder positively in both directions withreference to the horizontal axis of the wind-wheel; and, lastly, in thecombination of various parts, as I will presently describe.

In the accompanying drawings the tower of the mill is shown composed ofan upright A- shaped frame, A, braced by a shorter frame, B, at rightangles thereto, both frames being supported upon a suitable sill, O. Dis an annular cap, secured firmly to the top of the tower, and connectedto the top cross-bar of the frame B by two vertical parallel rods, E.The vertical axis of the wind-wheel is composed of the horizontal headF, from the un-.

der side of which. depends the tubular axis G, passing down through theannular cap D, and stepped in a suitable socket, H, arranged at thejunction of the cross-bars of the frames A B.

The tube is of sufficient length to hold the head slightly above theannular cap, so that the vertical axis shall turn freely.

I is the wind-wheel, of the usual construction,mounted upon a shortshaft, J, which has its bearings upon the head in front of the tubularaxis G, as shown; and Kis a grooved pulley, mounted upon such shaftbetween the wheel and head, either against the rear face of the wheel ordetached from it. L L are secondary grooved pulleys, mounted in bearingsM upon the head in rear of the pulley K, so as to rotate in verticalplanes. N is the wire operating-rope or other suitable band, passingunder the grooved pulley K, thence over the grooved pulleys L, and downthrough the tubular axis G, its lower end being looped under a sheave,O, mounted upon apivoted adjusting-lever, P, at the foot of the tower.The pulleys L are arranged at an angle to each other, so as to nearlytouch over the tubular axis G, and are also arranged at an angle to thepulley K, so as to move in close proximity to the latter.

By this means the operating-rope passes from the pulley K to the pulleysL in short vertical lines, and from the pulleys L vertically through thetubular axis of the mill, with its sides in close proximity to eachother. The sides of the rope, at the lower end or loop, are heldclose toeach other, to correspond with their position at the pulleys L, by twosheaves, Q, mounted upon the adjusting-lever above the sheave O, asshown.

By arranging the operatil'lg-rope as above described, it cannot slip offin passing from the pulley K to the pulleys L, while the parallelposition of the two sides of the rope moving nearly in contact with eachother permits such sides to twist or wind upon each other when thevertical axis rotates without interfering with their operation in theleast. If the sides of the rope were separated a considerable distance,they would, after one or two revolutions of the vertical axis, becometwisted to such an extent as to interlock,.and the mill would thereforebe stopped. By adjusting the lever P the operating-rope is preventedfrom being tightened when it becomes twisted too much, and if it isdesired to take out the twist it is only necessary to raise the leverand remove the rope from the sheave 0, when it can be untwisted andreplaced upon the sheave and the lever again pressed down to therequisite degree. A suitable joint should be connected with the shaft ofthe sheave O for the transmission of power to the machinery to beoperated. Owing to the lifting action of the operating-rope in passingfrom the pulley K to one of the pulleys L, the former pulley is raisedsomewhat, or is prevented from sagging with its shaft under the weightof the wind-wheel. Such shaft, therefore, is relieved in its bearings,and the friction materially reduced.

If desired, more than thr e pulleys may be used, and when the wind-wheelis arranged eccentrically to the vertical axis of the mill, or upon oneside thereof, one or two pulleys only need be employed; in most casesbut one.

It is the tail-vane or rudder, pivoted to the head at S, such pivotbeing provided with a horizontal grooved segment, J, as shown. U is thecord for operating the rudder. Its ends are secured to opposite sides orcorners of the segment, and from thence it passes over grooved pulleys Vupon the head, down through the tubular axis G, and out through the opensides of the latter, and is looped, under a sheave, W, upon the foot ofsaid tubu lar axis, as shown. X is an annular guide surrounding thetubular axis above the sheave, being secured to the upper ends of anoperat ing-frame, Y, which passes down through the cross-bar of thetower-frame B, withinreach of the operator'at the foot of the tower. The

annular guide is directed in its movements by lugs or ears fittingagainst or around the ver.- tical gu1de-rods E, as shown. The annular:

guide is grooved in its inner circumference,"

and within this groove is placed a ring so as to rotate freely. Z is alug projecting from the inner edge of the ring, to which one side of therudder-cord is firmly secured. By moving the operatingframe Yup and downthe guidering is moved with it, and, being connected directly to theoperating-cord, swings the rud der or vane positively to the right orleft of the vertical axis, for the purpose of regulatingj the speed ofthe mill. The loose ring holds the operating-cord in the same positionunderg' all circumstances, because, as the vertical axis; rotates, thering also rotates within the annular guide. This guide may be made oftwo plates fastened together and rabbeted at their: inner edges toreceive the ring, or it may be made in one piece and grooved to receivethe; ring. 4

A side vane or wind-gage may be attached: to the mill-head, although Iprefer to use only the single hinged or pivoted rudder.

Having thus described my invention, what: I claim is 1. The combinationof the secondary guide pulleys with the grooved pulley on the shaft ofthe wind-wheel, arranged with relation to each other substantially asdescribed, for the, purposes specified.

2. The grooved pulleys K L, arranged as set forth, and the wire rope N,in combination with the wind-wheel shaft and the head or vertical axis,substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the grooved pulley K of the wind-wheel shaft, thesecol'idarypulleys L, and the wire rope, the adjusting-lever, arrangedat the foot of the tower, substantially as described, for the purposesspecified.

4.. In combination with the grooved pulleys K L, the wire rope, and theadjusting-lever, the sheaves O Q, substantially as described, for thepurpose specified.

5. The combination of the annular guide, the loose ring, theoperating-cord of the rudder, and the sheave arranged upon the verticalaxis with the grooved segment J of the rudder, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the adjustable annular guide and the loose ringwith the rudder and vertical axis of the wind-wheel, substantially asdescribed, for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM H. WHEELER.

Witnesses:

IRA E. GooDALL, E. A. ELLSWORTH.

